Cases of Rare Illness Found in IL

A puzzling condition that causes partial paralysis in children is back on the uptick in parts of the US, with six cases under investigation in Minnesota and 14 reported in Colorado, health officials said Monday. This disease, AFM is not exactly like polio as it has no vaccination.

Nationwide, a total of 38 people in 16 states were found by the CDC to have confirmed cases of AFM between January and September this year.

A few states, including Texas, have reported a rare polio-like illness in children and the CDC is paying attention.

The CDC has recorded 362 official cases of acute flaccid myelitis in the USA between August 2014 through August 2018. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, symptoms include sudden muscle weakness in the arms or legs, sometimes following a respiratory illness, neck weakness or stiffness, drooping eyelids or a facial droop, and difficulty swallowing or slurred speech. Some people report numbness or tingling in their arms or legs, while others have difficulty passing urine. This can require urgent ventilator support (breathing machine).

"While they have been looking for all different types of possible infectious reasons for this, they have not really been able to figure what's causing this, and there may be multiple causes". AFM can cause a range of types and severity of symptoms, but the commonality among them is a loss of strength or movement in one or more arms or legs. The condition affects the gray matter area of the spinal cord and causes weakness in the body's muscles and reflexes.

After several tests, doctors were only able to find a diagnosis after a second MRI, finding abnormality throughout his entire spinal cord.

AFM is a serious, but uncommon condition. AFM or neurologic conditions like it have a variety of causes such as viruses, environmental toxins, and genetic disorders. One possible way it can develop is from viral infections.

Currently, there is no specific treatment for AFM, but doctors might recommend certain interventions, depending on the case.

The CDC does not yet know the long-term effects of AFM Some patients have recovered quickly, while others continue to have paralysis, it says. West Nile virus can also lead to the illness so taking steps to protect your family from mosquito bites, including using mosquito repellent, staying indoors at dusk and dawn when bites are more common, and removing standing or stagnant water near your home, can also help.

"As AFM affects mostly children and has no known cure, it is imperative that CDC conduct an expedited investigation and response to AFM infections", Ms. Klobuchar wrote in the letter.

Samsung Galaxy A9 is the world's first quad-cam smartphone
The phone gets 3D Glass curved back from its flagship Galaxy S9 and Samsung's own Infinity Display with an 18.5:9 aspect ratio. The rear is home to a fingerprint sensor and of course that all-important quad-camera unit, more of which we'll explore below.

Rand gains on Tito Mboweni's appointment as SA finance minister
Last week, Nene told an inquiry panel about the meetings he had held with the business family, a fact that he had earlier denied. Nene's example by volunteering to give testimony at the national inquiry into corruption so that their conduct can be reviewed.

Facebook wants people to invite its cameras into their homes
Both the devices feature a 12MP camera on the front for pictures and video calls, with 4-microphone array for voice input. The device only sends voice commands to Facebook's servers after the words "Hey, Portal " are said, according to Camargo.

Nick Saban blasts Alabama defense after Arkansas rout
A potential SEC Championship Game for Alabama may come against Georgia , which is listed at 6-1 to win the national title. Alabama starting cornerback Trevon Diggs has a broken foot and is out indefinitely, coach Nick Saban announced on Monday.

Flu season: doctors told how not to catch the flu
He said the manufacturers of the flu shot use a process to weaken or kill the flu virus but preserve portions of it beforehand. According to numbers released by the province, 46 people with lab-confirmed cases of the flu died in Manitoba last winter.

Hubble Space Telescope is in trouble after gyroscope failure
If the team can't bring the malfunctioning gyroscopes back, it'll switch to operating with one or two gyroscopes, Osten said . PT Oct. 8: We've added NASA's statement on the gyro issue. "[We] nearly pulled the plug on it back in the spring".

UK Govt brushes off Brexit threat by N. Irish allies
He said it could result in three scenarios: going back to Brussels to renegotiate, holding a general election, and a referendum. Blasting the proposed deal, she said: "Trade from Great Britain into Northern Ireland would be in danger of restriction".

Turkey calls in Saudi envoy over missing journalist case
The newspaper's editorial board called on Prince Mohammed bin Salman to ensure he "is free and able to continue his work". Turkish authorities believe he remains inside the consulate, while Saudi officials say he left the compound.